Holiday photos : First timer in L.A.

Let’s just skip the airport and plane photos and cut to the chase. My car for the trip. A Chevrolet Impala. I think this was a brand new one. I fell in love immediately.

Short story about my arrival. I came to the airport and hopped on a shuttle to the car rental place. They gave me the car and asked if i wanted to rent a GPS. I passed because i brought my own GPS which i borrowed from a good friend. My only problem was that it wasn’t getting any signal. And i guess a GPS is pretty crucial when you’re in LA for the first time. But i was confident that i could get it to work, so i asked for directions to Westwood and drove off – hoping that the GPS would eventually work. Luckily for me it did find a signal just in the right time. So i ended up at Pelle’s door in Westwood, Los Angeles. Actually at night – but this daylight photo is better.

It’s my first time – of course im getting a picture of this.
We went to Santa Monica the first day. Full tourist mode.

Santa Monica

Stuff like this.. ‘merica

I’ve played Grand Theft Auto V before so i’ve seen some action go down here.

It was october so not the warmest weather for water action.

But i’m from Denmark so it was warm enough for me to walk around like this.

Some taco place at Venice Beach. Best burrito i ever had.. so far

The shake is called a ‘Blueberry Burst’ and it was good. #SwingersDiner

Had to do it.

SK Donuts recommended by Teit Andersen. This happened to be right next to where the other danish crew (Baxxel, Bisse, Andreas, Risvad, Lukas) were living. Perfect.

The well known ice cream van at Stoner Skate Plaza.

So one morning i picked up these 2 dudes at their house. We went to SK Donuts and then drove to Torrance where the Girl/Crailtap warehouse is located. Time to be a skate tourist. (This photo i took in a japanese supermarket – super weird place. Look at the upside down dead fish)

The #CrailPark . Awesome place. We skated there alone for hours. Chris Haslam and his dog was there too.

If you’re a nerd like me – then you’re pretty stoked when you see these in the Girl warehouse.

Pick and pack area. Look at that Chocolate banner. Mike York, Chico Brenes, Gabriel Rodriguez, Gino, Keenan, Paulo Diaz. The golden era (for me)

I guess a first time visit to In ‘N Out was appropriate after this skate session. Tobias Bisse told me to go ‘Animal Style’. I didn’t. He then told me that i blew it.

I was able to go visit Dwindle Distribution as well (house of Cliché, Almost, Enjoi, Blind, World, Darkstar, Fallen, Zero etc. etc.) super nice people working there. Bod Boyle and Alex Cock was super nice to me – taking me to lunch at a restaurant – almost took half a day out of the calendar for that. Very grateful. I met Chet Thomas in there sitting in the Darkstar office. He was the nicest guy ever. Told me a story about him and Nicky Guerrero in jail many years back. We might need that story here on the lodge.
Well this is the Dwindle conference room. The wall is decorated with some seriously legendary graphics from Blind and World Industries. Rodney Mullen, Jeremy Klein, Mike Vallely, Steve Rocco, Jason Lee, Randy Colvin, Rudy Johnson, Gabriel Rodriguez. Damn.

I ate some donuts. Who wouldn’t.

UCLA. Pelle’s school. Huge place.

Michael McDonald blasting in the Chevy.

When i was at Dwindle they were kind enough to give me 8 tickets to the Enjoi Oververt premier. Fun fact – i met Oscar Grønbæk and Julian ‘Japaneren’ there.

I have no idea why i shot a picture of Atiba and his brother but i did. They DJ’ed at the Oververt party. I remember them playing some pretty good stuff. I don’t remember much else from there on.

Out of all the celebrities that were at the Oververt afterparty, Pelle recognized Eduardo Craig and wanted a picture with him.

On my way to San Diego i stopped in Del Mar. I know there’s a lot of skate history here but i didn’t get to see it. I actually just stopped because my rental car was about to break down. It was leaking oil.

So my beloved Impala was leaking oil and i had to switch to another car in San Diego. I got this Jeep. I hated it. The Chevy was more comfortable. I ended up getting a huge discount on my total rental price though. So it’s all good. I had the Jeep my last 4 days.

Brent’s yard in San Diego.

Good morning San Diego

I went to San Diego for one night to visit Brent! Was fun to see his house. They had ‘Football Sundays’ it’s a thing where you eat chili and drink beer and watch football. Good concept.

One of Brent’s good friends Justin asked me if i wanted to go with him to Dan Drehobl’s house. I had to go back to LA but Vista was on the way so i spent 2 hours here. Dan Drehobl has a pretty sick yard. I’m a fan.

This is me going fast in my Jeep on the highway from Vista to Hollywood. I was going to a Hall & Oates concert at the Greek Theatre with Pelle. Pretty legendary.

This is how a Hall & Oates concert looks like through an iPhone 5. Damn. Note to self – bring a real camera when you’re going to the USA.

This place is called Astro Burger and i’ll never forget it.

Back in Santa Monica ‘cus that place was nice. Pelle looking like he’s holding a PS controller.

The sign.

Remember that weird Tom Hanks movie? I do.

Touristing at the Santa Monica Pier

The Getty Center. Lots of art, architecture and nice gardens. Tourist bonus points.

Amazing view from The Getty

In the LAX airport charging my devices and trying to kill 7 hours. (Flight home was delayed). I did a lot of WDBM 11 or 12 work during these waiting hours. So it was alright. Thanks for reading this. I’m out!